The New Orleans Saints are mired in their longest losing streak since 2005, but they're hopeful for a key return as they seeks to turn things around.
Quarterback Derek Carr is expected back at practice on Wednesday after completing a throwing session on Monday, and how that goes will determine his potential availability for a Week 9 clash with the Panthers.
"I’m optimistic about it," head coach Dennis Allen said on Monday.
Carr hasn't played since exiting in the second half of a Monday Night Football loss to the Chiefs in Week 5 due to an oblique injury. The Saints turned to rookie Spencer Rattler in his stead, but the result has been three consecutive losses with diminishing offensive returns in each. The Saints only managed six total points in each of the past two weeks with him under center. In both games the Saints turned to Jake Haener late in the game, with the second-year QB leading a pair of scoring drives, but not nearly enough to spark a rally.
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The Saints have now lost six consecutive games after a 2-0 start and their 2024 season is teetering very close to the ledge of a lost campaign. The struggles have been due in part to a young quarterback playing like a young quarterback, but there have been myriad absences, defensive lapses and penalties on both sides of the ball that have played just as big of a role.
"[Cleaning up the mistakes] would be our hope ... but whether Derek plays or not really doesn’t have a whole lot to do with our fundamentals and technique in terms of blocking and making sure we have our hands inside and all those kinds of things," Allen said.